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Dogs seek out people and take obvious pleasure in their company. They often fulfill a childlike role and are dependent in their owners for most of their life. This dependency works both ways and your dog becomes part of your family. It makes sense to try to match your lifestyle and preferences to the temperament and needs of the dog.

You may be looking for a dog with behavioral characteristics such as the ability to guard, herd, retrieve, or just sit on your lap. Other questions you’ll need to ask yourself are what age? size? sex? pure breed or not. For most pet parents, the age is considered first.

What age of dog? Of course, a puppy is delightful, especially if you’ve got children in the house, but there may be reasons why an older dog is better. If you’re looking for a good companion right from the start, a young adult dog may be best. A puppy requires someone around all day to properly house train and to develop a good relationship. If you choose an older dog, make sure it is house-trained, a dog that has been kenneled for a long time may not be.

Size is the next important consideration. Large breeds are both expensive to buy and to feed, they need a lot of space and a lot of exercise and aren’t well suited to city living in an apartment. Small and toy breeds need far less space and exercise, they eat less too! But you must take care with young children, as toy breeds bones are fine and fragile and children can accidentally hurt them seriously. Large breeds also age quicker than the smaller breeds and most don’t live beyond 14 years, while the smaller breeds can live to be 20 years old.

Male or female is the next consideration, and most owners have their own preferences. Females are usually more demanding of attention, but they are easier to train and develop a more solid attachment to their owners. Male dogs are usually more consistent in their temperament, but are more difficult to train due to their independent nature. Male’s may become so aggressive or wander so much that neutering is called for. This isn’t always successful and can change the dog’s character.

Pedigree or not? Non pedigree dogs sometimes called mongrels, have a lot in their favor. While they aren’t as predictable in terms of looks and temperament, they are much less afflicted by inherited diseases than pedigree dogs and seem to avoid some of the more common ailments. Pedigree dogs can develop ailments that are common to their breed that gets passed to each new generation. You should look into the “hereditary defects” of any pedigree you are considering. Most of these ailments don’t occur until the animal is old, but they will occur.

No matter what type, breed, age, size, color, or other choice of dog you make, just remember, they will all need part of your time and space. Owning a pet and becoming a good pet parent is a commitment, but it can be one of the best and happiest commitments you can make, for both of you.

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One of the most often overlooked areas in care of Pit Bulls involves dental health. It is important not only in caring for his teeth, but in also protecting his overall well being. Being able to chew food properly affects digestion, which can lead to all kinds of health problems for your Pit Bull. Learning how to care for your Pit Bull’s dental health needs at home can save you a lot of out of pocket expense over your Pit Bull’s lifetime.
Believe it or not, you should try to brush your dog’s teeth at least once everyday. Just like you, your Pit Bull will have plaque and tartar that can destroy his teeth or lead to gum disease. It could result in your Pit Bull losing his teeth, or developing an infection.

If you haven’t already developed a dental hygiene routine for your Pit Bull, you may need to take it slow and easy to get him used to the idea. Begin by getting him used to you holding him and looking inside his mouth. If you have an older Pit Bull, just holding the dog long enough to look in his mouth may be a challenge at first. Once you get him comfortable with you holding him and looking inside his mouth, start lifting up his lips and moving his tongue around so you can actually see his teeth. These first couple steps may take your Pit Bull some time to get used to, so be patient.

Once he is comfortable with you messing with his mouth, see your veterinarian to get a toothpaste recommended for him. Start by using the toothpaste on your finger for a few days, to get him used to the taste and feeling of you rubbing his teeth. Your Pit Bull will probably enjoy this, especially if he gets flavored toothpaste. He will definitely love the extra attention.
Eventually, your Pit Bull will let you brush his teeth, which will help protect his teeth and health. Dental problems in Pit Bulls can be very painful for them, and can often be hard to treat successfully.

If by some chance you have a Pit Bull that absolutely will not let you near his mouth, let alone brush his teeth, there are some alternative ways to ensure his dental health. Your veterinarian can recommend a good dental rinse that can be added to your Pit Bull’s water bowl to help rid the teeth of debris. Chew toys will also help clean the teeth and keep his bones strong and healthy. Be careful when buying chew toys for your Pit Bull to make certain the toy isn’t hard enough to damage his teeth, and is large enough so he can’t get choked on it.

There are some dog foods now available that are supposed to provide dental care, which actually means that the food sticks to plaque and tartar as the dog chews, therefore getting it off the teeth.

Remember, that to provide proper care for your Pit Bull, you cannot omit his dental health. By taking the time to provide dental care when your Pit Bull is a puppy, you can start ensuring his dental health in the beginning, which will save you a lot of costly vet bills as time goes by.

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My family run an animal sanctuary in Birmingham, England. Even though we love what we do, we feel that some people need to realise that a pet should be a long term commitment. They should not be seen as just a bit of fun which they can then get rid of when they get bored.

Many people arrive at the animal sanctuary with their pets, which are mainly dogs, with many excuses as to why they are no longer able to look after or care for them. I am sure many of their reasons are valid but am also aware that many others are just an excuse to offload them.

The excuses they give are varied:

I have recently divorced from my husband and can no longer afford to keep this dog as a pet

The dog has started to bite my children

The dog is too difficult to handle and is destroying my furniture

We have recently moved into a flat. One of their rules is that no animals can live in these flats

The dog barks to much and it is upsetting the neighbours

Our other animals do not like the dog

The dog is affecting my health

I am too ill to look after my dog

It is not our role to question these reasons but what we then need to do is to find another suitable home for the dogs. This is easier said than done as we need to ensure that the new owners will be able to care for them, for hopefully the duration of their life.

We also keep many of the dogs as our own pets, especially the ones which nobody else seems to want. One such dog is called Cassie. She is full of life and has been ill treated it seems when she was a puppy. Half of her left ear is missing and she is seemingly quite afraid of men.

Cassie is need of a huge amount of care and attention. She can be too lively at times which is possibly why three people who attempted to re-home her, have bought her back. She is not aggressive in any way but does tend to jump up at people.

What we did with Cassie and what we will continue to do, is to give her lots of love but also a little bit of training of what is good and what is not acceptable. It takes a long time, but she is now able to understand that the jumping is not wanted and that she needs to chill out at times.

Cassie is turning into a wonderful dog to have around the house and now feels for the first time as part of a family.

With a little more patience most other dogs can turn out this way. This is why we want more people to take more responsibility and to give their animals more of a chance to settle into their homes, and to get used to a new set of rules.

Having animals as pets can be very rewarding, nearly as rewarding as having a child. A dog however will rarely answer you back.

If you are having problems with your animals you can always phone up animal sanctuaries for advice and to hear about possible solutions. The people who work there are animal lovers and will help you as much as they can.

If you are unable to continue looking after the pet, the sanctuary should be able to take them off you.

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When you bring your Pit Bull puppy home, it is important that you provide him with the things he needs. You will probably purchase a kennel, food and accessories, toys, etc. To ensure he is comfortable and help give him a sense of security, you should also purchase or provide him with a bed. Your Pit Bull will probably prefer sleeping with you, but that is not always a good idea. You shouldn’t give a new pet free reign of the house, for both obvious reasons, and for your pet’s safety. Most puppies are not fully housebroken for quite some time, and no one wants to wake up in a wet or smelly bed. It is much better to provide your Pit Bull with a bed, maybe even in your room if that makes you both happier.

Before purchasing your Pit Bull’s new bed, you should think about the best type of bed for him. One big thing to take into consideration is how big you think he will be when he is full grown. You will want to try to get a bed that will be big enough for him when he is an adult, so you don’t have to spend money on a new one every time he hits a growth spurt. Your veterinarian can help with trying to figure out how large your Pit Bull may be. A bed that isn’t big enough won’t be comfortable for him, and he will most likely not sleep in it, choosing to sleep somewhere else in the house, probably your bed. Purchasing a bed that is considerably too large will likely make your Pit Bull feel insecure, and again, he will probably find another place to sleep in.

The bed should consist of materials that are able to hold up to your dog. It should also be hard for your Pit Bull to chew and shred into pieces, as eating the bedding material will likely cause him digestion problems. You should try to train him not to chew his bed, and provide him toys instead. The cover should be easy to remove, because you will likely want to launder it every couple of weeks.

If your Pit Bull is a puppy, you will likely have to teach him where he is supposed to sleep. It is important to develop a routine and stick to it. One thing that will help is keeping the bed in the same place all the time, your room may be the best place as Pit Bulls tend to crave a lot of attention from their owners. Much the same with children, putting your Pit Bull to bed each night at around the same time will help him adjust.

Try not to place your Pit Bull’s bed in a noisy, high traffic area. Keep in mind, that like you, your Pit Bull will most likely sleep better in a quiet room with little light. Puppies more so than adults, tend to have security issues, so placing the bed in your room may help him accept it better.

Do some research and shop around so you can buy the best bed for your Pit Bull that you can afford. It should be considered an investment, as any other furniture purchase. You should consider your Pit Bull’s own individual needs and try to accommodate him.

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Hypoallergenic dog breeds have special needs because they are usually smaller in size and have temperaments that may be difficult to handle sometimes. When you first bring your new dog home, you should allow it to roam around to get an idea of its surroundings. If you have other pets, you should put them in another room while the dog is investigating the area. Depending on the breed of dog, they may be very scared at first. They may not want much human contact, so you should be careful about handling them too much during the first few days they are in your home.

Once you new dog becomes comfortable, you should develop a feeding and hair brushing routine that you and your dog will follow. If you have allergies, brushing your dog every day will reduce the amount of allergens in the air. This will reduce the allergens on your carpets, furniture, clothing, and walls. Buy a steel comb with wide teeth that will help trap hair and get out any knots that may be in the dog’s fur. If you purchased a Mexican hairless or other breed that does not have hair, you should make sure that its skin is not dry. If you notice flaking, you should visit your vet who will prescribe medication or lotion that you can use.

Making sure your hypoallergenic dog gets plenty of exercise is important for their health and also for controlling allergens in your home. Walking your dog at least once a day and making sure it sleeps through the night will keep the dog on a routine. Dogs that are awake at night time may want to be with you. Allowing your dog to sleep on your bed could increase your risk of an allergy attack.

Your dog should have a designated place to sleep during the night and during the day. Buying a soft bed or giving the dog an old blanket will help keep them warm and safe when they are sleeping. You should wash their pet bed often to prevent allergens from being transferred to carpeting or clothing. While you cannot prevent all allergens from getting into your clothing and inside your carpeting, you can reduce them by keeping everything in your home clean.

Dog grooming is also important when caring for a hypoallergenic dog. Even though the breed that you buy will probably have short hair, you will have to have it professionally groomed every few months to maintain the shape and also to keep the hair from becoming too long. Since hair can grow long and cover the dog’s eyes, and make it difficult for the dog to keep itself clean, grooming your dog will ensure that it remains healthy and happy.

Now that you know more about caring for a hypoallergenic dog, you should remember that just because these dogs are considered a good choice for those with allergies, these dogs may still cause you to have allergy attacks from time to time. Hypoallergenic dogs reduce the risk of attacks, but cannot prevent them from occurring.

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If you travel with your pet, you need a dog carrier. But which kind should you get? Carriers come in all different sizes. Some are rigid, and some are soft and pliable. The type of dog carrier you buy should depend on the size of your pet and the kind of traveling you do.

Travel by Car

If you travel by car, either a hard plastic or wire crate will do. Some wire crates fold down for storage and portability, which comes in extremely handy if your situation requires that you move the crate in and out of your vehicle. What size should the dog crate be? Well, take a good look at your dog! The crate should be large enough so that the dog can stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably, but not so large that the dog slips around during travel.

Travel by Airplane

When choosing a dog carrier for airplane travel, you’ll have to take airline size restrictions into consideration.

Better safe than sorry! You don’t want to arrive at the airport only to find out that your carrier doesn’t heed the restrictions. It’s safe to check with the ticketing agent ahead of time regarding dog carrier size limits, but keep in mind that these rules usually refer to hard-sided dog carriers. Smaller dogs can be carried in soft-sided dog carriers like Sherpa Bags and the Pet Wheel-Away. Carriers such as these are approved for in-cabin use and can be stowed under the airplane seat.

Make sure the carrier has an absorbent liner. Some models are equipped with them. With others, an old towel or blanket should do the trick.

If you are still not sure which size and type of pet carrier to pick, check online retailers for manufacturer’s guidelines. They can help you select the right size and type for your dog.

Comfort Counts

Remember, you are going to be the one toting the carrier around, so make sure it fits you well! The carrier should be light enough for you to manage over the distance you plan on carrying it, and should be carried comfortably. It’s always a good idea to test a carrier before you buy it; make sure the shoulder straps are the right length and there is sufficient padding where it meets your shoulder.

Just for Fun

Once you have the important stuff in order, you can have lots of fun with styles, colors, materials, and patterns. Soft dog carriers come in a variety of materials including canvas, nylon, denim, and synthetic leather. You can find them in all kinds of styles, from practical to precious, and in just about every color possible. Designer carriers often mimic the styles popular in handbag fashions, so it’s not hard to find one that suits your style.

With the right dog carrier, traveling with your pet is a breeze!

For more advice on dogs and top-selling dog products visit Savvy Dog Lovers | Dog Supplies – where the best bones are buried.

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A dog training career may be just right for you, if you love working with dogs. Dogs of all ages, from puppies to older dogs, need training, and their owners often don’t know how to train them. They look for a professional dog trainer to do the job.

If you are thinking of a dog training career, you might want to start by practicing on your own dog. If you are good at training your dog, you might be good at training other people’s dogs. But if training your dog leaves you frustrated and drained, then becoming a dog trainer might not be the best career for you.

When you are training dogs, you are actually training the owners more than the dogs, so you need to be good with people to consider a dog training career. People are not at their best when they are frustrated or embarrassed by their dog’s behavior. Will you be able to deal with these distraught owners calmly, while at the same time tending to their dogs? Give this some thought.

Consider volunteering to help out at a dog training class at your local shelter. You will get a feel for what is involved in a dog training career. If you are good, the teacher may let you teach a segment of the class. This will be your trial by fire. If you do a good job, then you can move forward with your training.

You can prepare for a dog training career in several ways.

1. Attend a school specifically for those interested in a dog training career. There are many schools and seminars available. Be sure to get lots of hands on training.

2. Become an intern or apprentice to a dog trainer in your area. This way, you can learn dog training on the job.

3. Become a certified dog trainer. Do a search on the internet for dog training certification programs.

Once you have the proper education in dog training, starting your business should be easy. Decide if you want to work with individual clients in their homes or offer dog training classes. It is a good idea to offer a combination of both. By advertising your dog training classes, people who want individual help training their dogs will hear about you too. Soon your dog training career will be off to a great start.

Check around in your area for facilities where you can hold the dog training classes. Often the local humane society will have space for classes, or you could check with dog day care facilities. In warm weather, you may be able to hold your classes outdoors.

Advertise your services by leaving brochures about your training program with veterinarians, dog supply stores, and pet shelters. This way, your advertising will not cost you much.

Congratulations! You have followed the steps above and have a thriving dog training career. You love dogs and are working with them every day. For a dog lover and a natural teacher, you have found the ideal business to be in.

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If you are looking to train your dog you might consider using the ‘clicker training’ method, which has recently become popular amongst dog trainers all over the country. In this method the trainer has to make use of a clicker, a tiny plastic box with a metal button which makes a distinctive click sound once the button has been pressed. The training method is simple and is in many ways parallel to the positive training method. Here is what you have to do. Decide on a certain behavior which you want to teach or reinforce your dog to do. A number of behaviors/actions come naturally to the dog like sitting, eating, standing, barking etc. and these need just to be reinforced so that your dog knows when you want him to do what. Various other actions like acting dead, shaking hands, rolling over etc. do not come naturally to the dog and need to be taught. Clicker training can be used to do both.

Clicker training works according to the basic principles of operant conditioning, by associating the sound of the clicker with a food item which the dog particularly likes. Now all you have to do is use the clicker to command the dog to do something, the dog, given that he associates the sound of the clicker with the food, immediately obliges and the training is complete.

Let us take an example to illustrate the method better, suppose you want to teach your dog to sit, you put a cookie on your dog’s nose playfully and then move it upwards, the dog will obviously follow the movement of the biscuit with its nose and will then naturally rest its posterior on the floor, thereby putting himself in a sitting position. Now time your clicking to be so accurate as to occur right as the dog seats himself, now give him the biscuit and praise him. Continue doing this for sometime till the dog begins to associate the clicking with the food until the click makes him sit without you luring him with treats. Now teach him another behavior, but remember to attach the clicking cue only once the animal himself offers you the behavior otherwise the clicking will not be connected to anything in the dog’s head and he will be confused regarding what it means.

Your dog is one smart little animal and it’s time you gave him due credit for that. A number of trainers have been known to use negative reinforcement techniques alongside the clicker method but this simply doesn’t work because punishment at all times creates a number of unwanted behavior even if it serves the primary purpose of teaching the dog to not do something temporarily.

Any kind of training is a strenuous and rigorous process and needs time and patience. Although clicker training method has a high success rate it might not work for certain types of dogs, if you see that it’s not working for your pet you would be well advised to use some other technique to teach it tricks.

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When the moment arrives for selecting a dog of your own, you should have a good idea of what you are looking for. If you are primarily concerned with finding an average dog, we highly recommend your local animal shelter. Not only will you be helping to relieve the local over population of animals as well as possibly rescuing a loving little dog, you just might meet the best friend you will ever have.

No matter where you find the right dog for you, the same basic rules will apply. You will find that a very young puppy only vaguely resembles the adult dog you admired on the street or in the show ring. Older puppies, between the ages of six and twelve months or so, go through an awkward adolescent stage during which they seem hopelessly out of proportion. You will often get a better idea of what the puppy will eventually look like if you observe the adult members of his family, (when this is possible).

If you are looking for a puppy, rather than an adult dog, there are various methods of picking the best puppy from a litter. Some advise avoiding the weakest and shyest, even though the runt of the litter may turn out to be the best. Some breeders claim the mother picks out the best, so they remove the puppies from her and note which ones she brings back first. But everyone agrees that the signs of a good temperament in a very young puppy are friendliness, confidence, playfulness, and curiosity.

When you must choose a puppy from a litter you should proceed by elimination. First of all is sex, male or female, this will eliminate 1/3 to ½ the group. Then you might consider colors or markings, next a playful and happy attitude. But always bear in mind the role he will play in your life. Do you want an active playful dog, or one that is quiet and more reserved? Go with the one that most closely fits your lifestyle.

Choosing an adult dog is different. He has already achieved his full physical development and personality. He may also have acquired physical or mental quirks. When choosing an adult dog of unknown past, you must use all of your powers of observation. Like the puppy, a good temperament is the most important quality of all. Keep in mind that adult dogs are more difficult to train, as they have already been trained by someone else.

If you are looking for a show dog, temperament may be secondary to physical conformation. There tends to be considerable difference of temperament between the show lines or breeds, and the working lines of certain breeds. If you want a pet whom you can also show with some success, the best solution is to choose either one of the breeds in the sporting and working groups that have not been affected by artificial show standards.

Lastly, when making your final choice, choose from the heart and not so much by the book, and you both will be happier for it.

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Making the decision to add a Pit Bull terrier to your household can be difficult. There are several things that should be taken into account before you go buy your puppy. You should do some research into the breed, so that you can learn all about the personality traits characteristic of Pit Bull terriers. It would also be beneficial to learn about behavior traits, and proper care of the dog so that you can be prepared before you bring your new puppy home. And of course, you must decide if you want a male or female.

There are many places that one can purchase Pit Bull terriers from. Probably the best way to find a reputable source would be through the American Pit Bill Terrier Club. By attending some of their meetings, and talking to some of the members there, you can get information on different breeders, and their opinions on who is the best to purchase from. They are probably already Pit Bull terrier owners, and should be a good source of information not only on the best breeder to purchase from, but general tips about raising a Pit Bull terrier puppy as well.

Your local veterinarian can also be a good source for selecting a Pit Bull terrier breeder to purchase your puppy from. They most likely have a lot of contact with local breeders, as they probably care for their puppies.

If you are interested in a puppy with a pure bloodline, for example, a dog for breeding purposes, you should probably not buy your puppy from a pet store. The puppies there are gotten from several different sources, and it would be very hard to trace their bloodlines for that reason. The prices at pet shops are usually higher, and it would be easy for the unsuspecting shopper to be taken advantage of.

The breeder listings in dog magazines and some newspapers could also be a good resource. They will help you get in contact with different breeders so that you can try to make the best decision. It is important to interview the breeders so that you can compare them and make the best purchase. You should find out how long they have been breeding Pit Bulls, what kind of conditions the puppies are kept in, how they are fed, what kind of contact they have with other dogs and people, and how they are cared for in general. If buying from a breeder that has a business of breeding dogs, you could also check with the Better Business Bureau to see what kind of complaints have been made against them if any.

Don’t buy the first Pit Bull terrier puppy you see from the first breeder you meet. Spend time with several breeders and puppies so that you can see for yourself the puppy’s individual personality. You will be much happier in the end by making a well informed decision in purchasing your Pit Bull terrier puppy.

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